The craze for do-it-yourself home renovation seems to be on the way out, with around 90% of men saying they would rather call in the professionals. Ed Reed reports on a downturn in have-a-go maintenance and details everyday jobs you can still tackle on your own…
DIY fanatics are finally giving up on the grouting, paint stripping and wholesale renovation of their homes by sending in the professionals for a spot of DFY: Done For You.
Equipped with paltry tools, a hefty dose of over-ambition and a handful of tips gleaned from TV makeover guru Laurence Llewellyn Bowen, amateur DIY enthusiasts have for years been tackling tasks that are simply just too big for them.
Now, however, there seems to be a growing trend to get tradesmen in on the job. A survey at the end of 2004 on behalf of Standard Life Bank found that 87% of British men had done DIY before, but only 20% said the finish they achieved was as good as if a professional had done the work.
A massive 89% said they would rather pay a professional in future than do it themselves. Those questioned estimated they would spend about £4,045 on workmen in 2005.
In recent years, home improvement shows such as Changing Rooms launched a massive property and DIY boom. British adults still spend as much as £40 billion each year on renovation goods.
While minor DIY mistakes lead to inconvenience, added expense and a few choice words between partners, the most costly errors can actually knock value off a house and result in injury - or even death. According to research in 1999, about 70 people are killed and 200,000 seriously injured in the UK every year through DIY.
Perhaps as a sign of the times, the BBC's flagship programme Changing Rooms has finally been taken off the air while big hit DIY SOS continues to look at ghastly bodge jobs before repairing them.
It seems that in 2005, people are increasingly willing to make heavy financial investments, even boosting their mortgage, to ensure major improvements are carried out properly by those equipped for the job.
DIY fanatics are finally giving up on the grouting, paint stripping and wholesale renovation of their homes by sending in the professionals for a spot of DFY: Done For You.
Equipped with paltry tools, a hefty dose of over-ambition and a handful of tips gleaned from TV makeover guru Laurence Llewellyn Bowen, amateur DIY enthusiasts have for years been tackling tasks that are simply just too big for them.
Now, however, there seems to be a growing trend to get tradesmen in on the job. A survey at the end of 2004 on behalf of Standard Life Bank found that 87% of British men had done DIY before, but only 20% said the finish they achieved was as good as if a professional had done the work.
A massive 89% said they would rather pay a professional in future than do it themselves. Those questioned estimated they would spend about £4,045 on workmen in 2005.
In recent years, home improvement shows such as Changing Rooms launched a massive property and DIY boom. British adults still spend as much as £40 billion each year on renovation goods.
While minor DIY mistakes lead to inconvenience, added expense and a few choice words between partners, the most costly errors can actually knock value off a house and result in injury - or even death. According to research in 1999, about 70 people are killed and 200,000 seriously injured in the UK every year through DIY.
Perhaps as a sign of the times, the BBC's flagship programme Changing Rooms has finally been taken off the air while big hit DIY SOS continues to look at ghastly bodge jobs before repairing them.
It seems that in 2005, people are increasingly willing to make heavy financial investments, even boosting their mortgage, to ensure major improvements are carried out properly by those equipped for the job.
Buy on AliExpress.com
